The Elaboration of Dialogue.
Dialogue is elaborated by the use of words, phrases, or clauses, to modify the verb which introduces the quotation or the subject of that verb. Through this elabora¬tion we learn how the speakers looked when they made a certain speech ; how they felt ; what their manner was; where they were ; in what tone they spoke, etc. These little touches enrich the dialogue and awaken our interest in the speakers by making them more real. When we telephone to a person we hear only his voice and words, but when we talk to him near at hand we use our eyes as well as our ears ; note his dress and manner, the expression of his face, and his gestures. We also make mental note of his character as revealed in his appearance or speech, or from what we know of his past. The mind is thus kept very active, and dialogue is there¬fore a very complex activity in real life ; it is much more than the mere words that are spoken in con¬versation. If the dialogue we write in our themes is to have any resemblance to that of real life, we must tran¬scribe all the latent elements that accompany the words spoken, because our pleasure or lack of pleasure in a conversation depends often as much upon these accompaniments as upon what is said. We shall study first the kinds of narrative and descriptive details which may be used in this elaboration, and secondly, the grammatical forms in which these details may be expressed. Thus we shall consider the subject of dialogue elaboration on the sides of both thought and form; that is, from both the logical and grammatical points of view. Elaboration of Dialogue on the Side of Thought. Dialogue may be amplified by means of certain narrative and descriptive motives, which give us details in regard to the speakers, the place, and other matters connected with the dialogue. 1. By means of description. a. Description of personal appearance. "Bless us," cried the Mayor, "What's that ?" (With the Corporation as he sat, Looking little though wondrous fat Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister Than a too-long-opened oyster, Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous For a plate of turtle green and glutinous) "Only a scraping of shoes on the mat ? Anything like the sound of a rat Makes my heart go pit-a-pat ! " - ROBERT BROWNING, The Pied Piper of- Hamelin. "Famous, eh ?" I said, looking after the pursy figure of the miller, in his floury canvas roundabout. b. Description of mood. "No, no, sirs, I did not know that you were the Italians." She was quite flustered and frightened, and said cordially enough how glad she was to have us both. c. Description of character. " Ah, I remember," said the stranger, turning away, like one whose appetite for contemplation was soon satisfied. d. Description of place. "You have a pleasant little adytum there, I see," said the stranger, looking through a latticed screen which divided the shop from a room of about equal size. • • • • "I suppose your conclave of crudzti meets there ?" "There, and not less in my shop," said Nello, lead¬ing the way into an inner room, m which were some benches, a table with one book in manuscript and one printed in capitals lying open upon it, a lute, a few oil sketches, and a model or two of lurnds and ancient masks. - GEORGE ELIOT, Romola. 2. By means of narration. a. By the use of retrospective narrative. The retrospective narrative used in elaborating dialogue refers to events which took place before the remark was made which it is used to amplify. "Well, won't you light it now ? " asked mother again, when all the unscrewed things had been put back into their places, and father had hoisted the lamp up to the ceiling again. "Did you know John Sherwood ? " asked Barwood. "Why, of course I did." "What a small world it is, to be sure ! " said Barwood, the mention of Sherwood bringing. back for a moment a remembrance of their last meeting and conversation, and the strange pursuit into which it had led him. b. By the use of forward-moving narrative. This kind of narrative refers to events which follow in time the remark the narrative amplifies. "But now I am through with him," said James, and folding up his pocket-book, he said farewell and walked away.